1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a fishing reel.
2. Background Art
A fishing reel is provided with a handle assembly for winding a fishing line. The handle assembly includes a handle arm and a handle knob. The handle arm is fixed to the tip portion of a handle shaft. The handle knob is mounted to the tip portion of the handle arm. Further, a type of handle assembly has been also provided so far. This type of handle assembly is capable of changing the length of the handle arm.
For example, a fishing reel, which is described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2004-135624, is configured to be capable of changing the length of the handle arm by manually tightening or loosening a nut member. On the other hand, a handle device for a fishing reel such as described in Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. JP-Y-H03-10860 and that described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2004-222559 are configured to be capable of changing the length of the handle arm by tightening or loosening a nut and a bolt through a rotational operation of the handle.
As described in the aforementioned Publication Nos. JP-A-2004-135624, JP-Y-H03-10860 and JP-A-2004-222559, the position of the handle arm attached onto the handle shaft is configured to be changed by loosening the nut and the bolt that fix the handle arm onto the handle shaft. Accordingly, it is possible to change the length of the handle arm.
However, in the structure described in the Publication No. JP-A-2004-135624, the nut is easily loosened while in use of the fishing reel, and the handle arm cannot be stably fixed onto the handle shaft. On the other hand, in the structures described in the Publication Nos. JP-Y-H03-10860 and JP-A-2004-222559, the nut and the bolt are tightened by a fishing-line winding operation of the handle. Therefore, when a handle load is increased, an excessive load acts on the bolt and thereby the bolt can be damaged or broken. Further, in the structure of the Publication No. JP-A-2004-222559, chances are that the handle is rotated reversely from the fishing-line winding direction by quick lifting of a fishing rod, and thereby, the bolt is loosened.
It is an advantage of the present invention to change the length of a handle arm and prevent loosening of a screw member for fixing the handle arm onto a handle shaft in a fishing reel.